, 1887-07-14
SPORTING GOSSIP.
Who VIII Succeed Malcolm w. Ford MS
Our Champion Amateur Athlete1
Especial Correspondencel

- lSpeciai Correspondence,1
NEW YORK, July @.
Now that Malcolm w. Ford has ended the
squabbling about his standing as an amateur
by resgning his membership in the New York
Athletic club the question which is the all
absorbing one among the amateur athletes is
as to who will be his successor as all round
champion athlete. Most persons incline to
the belief that Mike O'Sullivan, Of the Pas
time Athletic club, will be the man upon
whose shoulders Fords mantle win descend.
but am OF the opinion that Aleck Jordan is
now the best all round amateur athlete in
this country. OF course do not mean to as.
sert that one competition will settle the aues-
ton of supremacy between these men, but /
do predict that at the end Of tho present sea-
son Jordan will have a greater number of
wins to his credit than O'Sullivan will have
to his. .*s
Jack Gibson wants to run either Harry
Bethune or H. NJ. johnson, or both Of them,
at rs, 100 or 100 yards for 81 900 side, or q
sweepstakes OF that amount each, with the
gate money added. II sucn a race could be
brought OFF, at the proper place, the value of
the stake to the winner would certainly not
be less than $4,000, rs the three best sprint
ers in this country, If not in the world could
not fail to attract an immense crowd. II
NJ. K. kittleman, Exiting Kit" could be
also induced to enter it would make the
event doubly interesting, and would at the
same time render the picking out Of the
probable winner additionally difficult, as it
would not be at all remarkable if "Kitn
should be the first to breast the tape
.*+
Many persons wonder why 1t Is that with
alA All aggregation OF baseball sluggers as
is possessed by Brooklyn, to which may also
ln adHat m leagf strong hattariaa
shey should hold no better position in tho
race for the American association pennant
,han they do. / have very closely watched
the playing Of "Byrnes Babies" lately, and
my solution of the problem Is, I feel conf-
lent the only one possible 1t Is this: They
rave an excellent team of ielders and bat
ers, but their base running is so execrable
hat it would cause "Baby" Anson, If he
we're captain of the team, to use enough
paths in one single game to lose permanently
he patronage of the ministerial contingent.
Phillips, for instance, who is an excellent
irst baseman, runs bases worse than the
average schoolboy, and Swartwood is littlo
better l have never even heard of Phillips
having the temerity to attempt to steal a
base, but saw Swartwood try it the other
day in game with the Athletics. He came
numbering along toward the home plate from
third, and was of course put out. His feeble
attempt at a slide was something excruciat-
ngly funny. McTamany is one Of the best
center fielders, and q hard, but not safe
hitter, as he almost invariably strikes into
the air, and not infrequently strikes out BY
long odds and beyond all cavil the best of
the Brooklyn players is George Smith, their
magnificent short stop. George is not
grand stand player, and consequently once in
while makes an error, but his errors are
very seldom serious, and his contribution to
She work of demolishing the other side is
always abnormally large.
Frank Howson, one Of the "bad weights"
from 140 to 145l, is the latest English i'm
portation. i had a very interesting conver-
sation with him in regard to "Toff" Wall, tho
English middle weight champion. He says
that, all reports to the contrary notwith-
standing, Wall did knock Jem Smith down
in recent set to, and in fact bested him. He
says that Smith is good man, but would
have no chance Of winning against John L.
He thinks, however, that he will demolish
Jake Kilrain should they ever como together.
AS for himself, Howson is open to fight any
middle weight in the country, bar none, for
purse. He recently stopped Bill England
in two rounds with gloves. He will be given
trial against Jimmy Carroll shortly, and II
he comes up to expectations he will be backed
against Reagan, Henry, Files or Chambers
latest importation. OCTy COHEN.